The pulsating soundtrack, the acid trip visuals, the unapologetic gore -- Hotline Miami is a game that's been copied but never truly replicated. A modern classic, this top-down mobster murder-'em-up is brutal in more ways than one. It's a thrill ride from the word go, and a must-play for anyone who considers themselves an adrenaline junkie.

Largely developed by a two-man team, Overcooked 2 expands wonderfully on the formula laid down by the first game. You and up to three others must work together to complete orders in each unusual kitchen, and it's easier said than done. It's the way the game forces players to cooperate that makes this such a hit, but simple controls and a daft story certainly help. With online play and competitive modes too, this is a local co-op favourite, indie or otherwise.

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At first glance it's easy to pin down Hollow Knight as just another 2D metroidvania that boasts a steep challenge, but it's much more than that. There's a fantastic sense of wonder to Hollow Knight -- everything that you see and do in this meticulously crafted title is brilliantly contextualised, resulting in an adventure that oozes charm, character, and memorable moments.

It's hard to be original these days, but along comes Superhot with a genius twist on the first person shooter. Time only moves when you do in this clever indie game, meaning you can dodge bullets and land some crazy kills in slow-mo. It plays out almost like a puzzle game as you plan your movements and anticipate your enemies. Don't let the simplistic visual style fool you, this is one of the most creative shooters on PS4.

There aren't many games that can tell a story with no words, but Hyper Light Drifter manages it with ease. This is one slick action game with punchy combat and a heartfelt message at its core. It oozes style, too, with lovely pixel art and a fantastic musical score from Disasterpeace. The atmosphere created by the wordless presentation is haunting, and the world is richly detailed and full of challenges. If you can only stomach one pixelated adventure on PS4, this is one of the best.

Having grown up alongside PlayStation, Stephen has developed a wide knowledge of video games, from AAA blockbusters to the smallest indie gems. He also has the Platinum for The Witness, so there’s that.

A couple of these are in my backlog (Dead Cells, The Witness) and a couple more have caught my eye after reading this article (Hyper Light Drifter, Everything)
Resogun, Inside, What Remains of EF, and Journey are fabulous. Rocket League I find quite over-rated though. To each their own.

Inside was one of the best experiences I've had on PS4, I will soon be into my second playthrough to wrap up all the trophies. I've also recently started on What Remains of Edith Finch, thanks to PS Plus.

Hollow Knight is one of my favourite games of this generation though. Such a wonderful game and has some brutally challenging combat and platforming sections for those who want to face them. The pantheons were a step too far for me..

Good list! Pyre is a great game-it is a story/character driven game melded with a fantasy sports sim. Very fun. But one thing not mentioned in the write up is the amazing sound track for that game. Like all Supergiant offerings (and Bastion and Transistor should probably be on this list too!), the music is fantastic. Maybe my favorite in all of gaming. It is worth picking up the soundtrack even if you don’t play the game! (although you should also do yourself a favor and play the game).

I really need to play Everything and Wargroove. Cant really call RL an Indie imo anymore. Being owned by Epic and all. Journey is still one of the most profound gaming experiences Ive ever had. Truly disappointing he went mobile for his last game

Ah, there's always time to disagree with lists I suppose. My three favourites would be The Banner Saga, Hollow Knight and Hotline Miami from the top of my head. Never understood why that snoozefest Journey always gets so much praise though.

@Rudy_Manchego The dash made me wanna pull my hair out, but it was worth it so I could use the stamina upgrade equipment for the entire game. The third time I did it, I did it as soon as I was able to in the play through, and then I cloud saved that save file so in future play throughs I wouldn't have to do it again. As a side effect, I'm now really, really good at dashing. 😂

@Rudy_Manchego@Giygas_95 I have managed it in 6-7 deaths, it’s really not a long game so once you get it down it’s not a big effort, but really I think you need to do NG+ then using all your skills go back to normal for your no death run. I waited too long and lost my edge. But I do remember I absolutely had it down on NG+, most bosses one shot you and they are more aggressive and have a lot more health. As per normal mode it was the north boss who gave the most grief, and the final boss.

@kyleforrester87@Giygas_95 I will defo give NG+ a try at some point. I can't remember which boss gave me the most trouble other than the final boss. That one was a LOT of retries to get the timings exact. Why I like this game over most 'difficult' games is that the difficulty is truly baked into the levels and gameplay rather than being an artifical gate or needing grinding to get past.